Orthopedic brace

Abstract

The present invention relates to an orthopedic brace including therein a thermal treatment system useful for treating joint injuries and musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis.

1 . An orthopedic brace comprising:
 at least one housing having an internal face and an external face, wherein said internal face is structured to be worn by a subject, in a vicinity of a joint;   at least one substantially flat thermoelectric cooler (TEC) disposed at least partially within the housing, and having an internal TEC face and an external TEC face, wherein the external TEC face is facing the external face of said housing;   at least one heat transferring medium coupled to the thermoelectric cooler and comprising a first thermally conductive material, wherein the heat transferring medium has an external face, facing and thermally coupled to the internal TEC face, and an internal face; and   a cooling unit comprising:
 a heat sink coupled to the thermoelectric cooler, and 
 a fan configured and positioned to create air flow in the direction of the heat sink, thereby evacuating heat therefrom 
   wherein upon application of electrical current to the thermoelectric cooler, the temperature of the external TEC face is being either elevated or lowered and the temperature of the internal TEC face is being either lowered or elevated in the opposite direction, thereby lowering or elevating the temperature of the heat transferring medium.   
     
     
         2 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 1 , wherein each of the internal heat transferring medium face and the internal TEC face is facing the joint, when the orthopedic brace is worn by the subject. 
     
     
         3 . The orthopedic brace of any one of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermally conductive material is selected from the group consisting of a thermally conductive gel, thermally conductive solid, a thermally conductive liquid, a thermally conductive solution, a thermally conductive emulsion and a thermally conductive suspension. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The orthopedic brace of any one of  claim 1 , wherein lowering the temperature of the heat transferring medium comprises setting the temperature of heat transferring medium at a first temperature, wherein the heat transferring medium is in a non-bendable state when in the first temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 5 , wherein the heat transferring medium is in a bendable state when in room temperature, wherein upon application of electrical current to the thermoelectric cooler the temperature of the heat transferring medium is either lowered or elevated, thereby the heat transferring medium being in either the non-bendable state or the bendable state respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 6 , wherein when the orthopedic brace is worn by the subject and when in the heat transferring medium is in a non-bendable state, the joint is substantially fixed in a predetermined conformation; and wherein when the orthopedic brace is worn by the subject and when in the heat transferring medium is in a bendable state, the joint is substantially movable. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The orthopedic brace of any one of  claim 1 , further comprising a substantially flat heat transferring connector made of a second thermally conductive material, and having an external face coupled to the thermoelectric cooler and an internal face contacting the heat transferring medium. 
     
     
         15 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 14 , wherein the second thermally conductive material comprises a metal, a metal alloy or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The orthopedic brace of any one of  claim 14 , wherein the external face of the heat transferring connector is connected to the internal TEC face through a first thermal paste disposed there between. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit is configured to evacuate heat from the external TEC face. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 1 , wherein the external TEC face is connected to the heat sink, through a second thermal paste disposed there between. 
     
     
         24 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises a platform having an internal face and an external face, wherein the internal face comprises a recess dimensioned to accommodate the external TEC face, wherein the internal heat sink face is connected to the recess, through a second thermal paste disposed therein, wherein the heat sink further comprises a plurality of fins, each extending externally from the external heat sink face. 
     
     
         25 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is made of a heat conductive material. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The orthopedic brace of any one of  claim 1 , further comprising a vibrating unit positioned on the internal face of the housing. 
     
     
         38 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 37 , wherein the vibrating unit is contacting the heat transferring medium. 
     
     
         39 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 37 , wherein the vibrating unit comprises a vibration motor, configured to create a vibration upon application of electric current thereby. 
     
     
         40 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 1 , comprising
 a first housing having a first housing internal face and a first housing external face, wherein said internal face is structured to be worn by the subject, in the vicinity of the joint;   a second housing having a second housing internal face and a second housing external face, wherein said internal face is structured to be worn by the subject, in the vicinity of the same joint;   a first substantially flat thermoelectric cooler (TEC) disposed at least partially within the first housing, and having a first internal TEC face and a first external TEC face, wherein the first external TEC face is facing the external face of said housing;   a second substantially flat thermoelectric cooler (TEC) disposed at least partially within the second housing, and having a second internal TEC face and a second external TEC face, wherein the second external TEC face is facing the external face of said housing; and   at least one heat transferring medium coupled to at least one of the first thermoelectric cooler and the second thermoelectric cooler, and comprising a first thermally conductive material, wherein the at least one heat transferring medium has an external face, facing and thermally coupled to at least one of the first internal TEC face and the second internal TEC face, and a heat transferring medium internal face;   wherein upon application of electrical current to each one of the first thermoelectric cooler and second thermoelectric cooler, the temperature of the corresponding external TEC face is being either elevated or lowered and the temperature of the corresponding internal TEC face is being either lowered or elevated in the opposite direction, thereby lowering or elevating the temperature of the heat transferring medium thermally coupled thereto.   
     
     
         41 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 40 , comprising
 a first heat transferring medium coupled to the first thermoelectric cooler and comprising a thermally conductive material, wherein the first heat transferring medium has a first heat transferring medium external face, facing and thermally coupled to the first internal TEC face, and a first heat transferring medium internal face; and   a second heat transferring medium coupled to the second thermoelectric cooler and comprising a thermally conductive material, wherein the second heat transferring medium has a second heat transferring medium external face, facing and thermally coupled to the second internal TEC face, and a second heat transferring medium internal face;   wherein upon application of electrical current to the first thermoelectric cooler, the temperature of the first external TEC face is being either elevated or lowered and the temperature of the first internal TEC face is being either lowered or elevated in the opposite direction, thereby lowering or elevating the temperature of the first heat transferring medium; and   wherein upon application of electrical current to the second thermoelectric cooler, the temperature of the second external TEC face is being either elevated or lowered and the temperature of the second internal TEC face is being either lowered or elevated in the opposite direction, thereby lowering or elevating the temperature of the second heat transferring medium.   
     
     
         42 . The orthopedic brace of  claim 40 , comprising
 a single heat transferring medium extending between the first housing and the second housing and having a first portion coupled to the first thermoelectric cooler and a second portion coupled to the second thermoelectric cooler, wherein the single heat transferring medium comprises a first thermally conductive material, wherein the first portion has a first portion external face, facing and thermally coupled to the first internal TEC face and a first portion internal face, wherein the second portion has a second portion external face, facing and thermally coupled to the second internal TEC face and a second portion internal face;   wherein upon application of electrical current to each one of the first thermoelectric cooler and second thermoelectric cooler, the temperature of the corresponding external TEC face is being either elevated or lowered and the temperature of the corresponding internal TEC face is being either lowered or elevated in the opposite direction, thereby lowering or elevating the temperature of the first or second portion, coupled thereto.   
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The orthopedic brace of any one of  claim 40 , wherein the first housing comprises a first strap holder, extending externally from its external face, and wherein the second housing comprises a second strap holder, extending externally from its external face, wherein the orthopedic brace further comprises a strap configured to connect between the first housing and the second housing through the first strap holder and the second strap holder, and further configured to adjust the orthopedic brace to be worn by the subject. 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A method for treating a disease selected of arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and trauma, the method comprising applying the orthopedic brace of  claim 1  onto the joint.